Chapter 40


    Chapter 40~ Done asking


    “Why did you do that? How could you protect me without caring about yourself?” Tessa sobbed as


    she held Aaron’s hand.


    Her heart ached when she saw the bruises on his arms. His legs were kept higher than the level


    of his heart to help reduce swelling.


    He also took a blow to the head during the ident so a white bandage was wrapped around his


    head.


    After being in aa for three days, he was finally awake but he looked like he was still in bad


    shape. The only thing he was able to move was his head and his arms.


    Tessa’s tears couldn’t stop streaming down her face. Guilt filled herpletely seeing Aaron get hurt in


    her ce.


    Aaron raised his injured arm and wiped her tears away.


    “Hey… Please, don’t cry. I don’t want you to cry because of me, ever,” Aaron said in a hoarse voice.


    Every cell in his body felt like it was set on fire. There was no part of him that didn’t hurt. His throat


    burned from the dust he had consumed during the rescue process. However, he was trying his best to


    look strong so that Tessa would stop feeling bad.


    Tessa’s shoulders shook when she heard his low voice. He didn’t sound like himself and she


    med herself more.


    “I’m sorry. I should have been the one who got hurt-”


    “Don’t talk like that. I’m happy I got hurt on your behalf. As long as I’m alive, I will never let anything


    happen to you,” Aaron dered and then added, “I hope the kids haven’t been here to see me. I don’t


    want them to see me like this.”


    Tessa shook her head, replying, “No. They are with my mother. I told them they will visit you when you


    feel better. They’ve been worried about you.”


    The kids had stayed upte on the night of the incident, waiting for their father to put them to sleep like


    he always did. It was only after Tessa exined that he wasn’t feeling well that they


    agreed to sleep.


    Aaron nodded at Tessa’s words. He was about to respond when he coughed violently. Tessa realised


    that he needed water. She stood up and poured him ss at the bedside table.


    She then held the back of his head, propping him up and helped him drink.


    Aaron took a few mouthfuls When he swallowed the water, he nced up at Tessa and remarked, “I


    love the way you’re holding my head. As if you’re about to kiss me.”


    Tessa blushed as she removed her hand She said, “Sometimes I wonder what goes through your head


    ”


    Aaron raised an eyebrow and replied, “You’re the only one on my mind ”


    Tessa rolled her eyes but her cheeks med up A little whileter, Aaron began to feel ufortable.


    His body was a little itchy He raised his arms to rub some spots on his skin and


    Tessa noticed this.


    She went to the bathroom and fetched warm water in a small basin. She then took a towel and


    went back into the ward. Since Aaron couldn’t move, this was the only way he could take a bath.


    Aaron smiled from ear to ear as Tessa wiped his arms. She then opened the buttons of the hospital


    gown he was wearing.


    Her face was blushing profusely as she stared at his six-pack. Aaron had it all. The looks, the body


    and the money.


    For a brief moment, Tessa was in a daze as she admired Aaron’s body. How could a man be so good-


    looking?


    “Do you like what you see?”


    Tessa was brought back to reality by Aaron’s deep voice. Her face flushed and she averted his gaze as


    her heartbeat elerated.


    ‘I can’t believe he caught me staring! So embarrassing!” She said silently.


    “I… I wasn’t staring.” She stuttered.


    Aaron smirked. He arched an eyebrow at her and said, “You can look your fill. I don’t mind. It all


    belongs to you anyway.”


    Tessa red at Aaron yfully and hit his shoulder, saying, “Stop teasing me.”


    “Ouch!” Aaron wrinkled his eyebrows and grabbed his shoulder, his face grimacing in pain.


    Seeing this, Tessa’s stomach twisted. She asked, “Are you ok? Oh, my God, I’m sorry. I didn’t hit, you


    that hard.”


    As Aaron continued to groan in pain, Tessa lowered her head to examine his shoulder. Suddenly, she


    was pulled down to Aaron’s chest and she ended up hugging him.


    Tessa gasped and when she tried to get up, Aaron tightened his hold around her shoulders, saying,


    “Let’s stay like this for a while. When I was in aa, my mind was filled with nightmares. I kept


    thinking you were still trapped in the copsed building. You don’t know how happy I am to see you


    alive and well. Thank you for being safe, Tessa.”


    His words made Tessa stay still on his chest. Her eyes watered and she didn’t know what to say. So


    she just kept quiet and they stayed that way for a few minutes.


    “Let me help you clean up,” Tessa said when she stood up straight.


    Her face was flushed and her heart was racing after being held by Aaron for some time. She could still


    feel his warm skin on hers and something stirred within her.


    She proceeded to wipe his chest, tracing the contours of his abs and secretly ogling at his sexy body


    ‘Damn, he’s hot.”


    Aaron grinned as he enjoyed what Tessa was doing to him. He licked his lips and said, “I think you


    missed a spot.”


    “What spot?” Tessa asked with a cocked-up eyebrow at him


    Aaron looked down at his crotch. Tessa followed his gaze and she gasped when she saw an


    obvious tent on the front of his boxers.


    She returned her gaze to Aaron and he smirked, saying, “Little me needs some attention too.”


    Tessa’s heart skipped a beat. She noticed that Aaron couldn’t move his upper body yet so she thought


    she should help him. However, it was easier said than done.


    She hadn’t seen or touched an adult man in a very long time..


    “Are you feeling shy? It’s not like you’ve never seen it before…”


    Tessa threw Aaron a re and grabbed the band of his boxers. Her face flushed as she slid her


    hand into his boxers and cleaned him.


    She didn’t miss how his rod kept twitching the more she wiped him. She had just raised his


    boxers a little so she couldn’t see his shaft.


    When she was done, her blush had reached her neck. She buttoned up the hospital gown and


    looked at Aaron.


    Her green eyes met Aaron’s cerulean blue eyes and she asked, “Do you feel better?”


    Aaron nodded. His eyes darkened with lust as he said in a husky voice, “That would do for now. We


    are making progress.”


    “Mommy, can Daddy live with us? I’m sad that he can’t walk anymore,” Wi said as they walked


    alongside Aaron.


    He was in an electric wheelchair that he could control by himself so he didn’t need anyone to


    push him.


    After staying in the hospital for weeks, Aaron was finally discharged. Tessa hadn’t left his side.


    She took a break from work and took care of him.


    Even though Aaron was in pain, this was the best moment of his life. Having Tessa take care of him felt


    good and he was kind of disappointed he had to get discharged.


    He nced at Tessa when Wi asked that question, hopeful that she would agree.


    Tessa sighed. She watched as the children stayed close to their father with sad looks on their faces.


    She couldn’t bear to say no and disappoint them.


    “We can all live at the mansion. Dad would also like to talk to you,” Aaron offered.


    Tessa bit her bottom lip as her eyes fell on Aaron’s legs. The doctor said he had to go through. physical


    therapy but it was a fifty-fifty situation.


    She nodded and agreed, “Ok, but we will only stay until you feel better. I can’t leave Mom alone -”


    “She cane and live with us too,” Aaron suggested but Tessa shook her head.


    “No, she wouldn’t agree. I think you should be okay after three days or a week. You would have gotten


    used to being in a wheelchair by then,” Tessa said.


    Aaron didn’t push her anymore. She had agreed to stay for a few days and he would cherish those


    moments for now.


    375


    The family went to the Wentworth mansion. They all sat around a dining table to have lunch.


    Edmund cleared his throat, he nced at Tessa and said, “Tessa, I would like to apologise for what I


    said to you thest time you were here. I was just looking out for my son and failed to realise that I was


    hurting you too. I’m sorry.”


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Tessa’s breathing hitched. She didn’t hold anything against Edmund. But she appreciated the apology.


    She smiled at him and stated, “Let bygones be bygones. It was just a misunderstanding.”


    Edmund smiled from ear to ear. He peered at his son and remarked, “She’s a sensible woman. When


    are you making her my daughter-inw?”


    Aaron’s eyes met Tessa’s and he smirked. “Have you heard? When do you n to marry me? Or are


    you going to keep me waiting? I’m not growing any younger and I need more kids.”


    Tessa blushed profusely at his words. She wanted to ask her son if he was ok to divert the question but


    Reagan didn’t want to cooperate.


    “Mommy, Daddy asked you a question,” he said. “When are you giving us little brothers? I want a little


    brother.”


    Tessaughed awkwardly and picked up a bowl from the table, “Who wants chicken?!”


    Edmund smiled when he realised Tessa wasn’tfortable with the conversation. He deflected


    the conversation and said, “Let’s eat first.”


    Tessa spent some days at the Wentworth mansion. She would take Aaron for walks and help him


    take baths.


    The kids were happy that they were living together as a family.


    They enjoyed having both their parents in the same house. So when it was time to go back home, their


    shoulders sagged.


    Tessa felt bad for separating them from their father but there was nothing she could do. Aaron and


    Tessa were not a couple so it wasn’t right to live in the same house.


    During his healing process, Aaron didn’t forget to send Tessa flowers. The mall was being rebuilt so


    she was given temporary space in Aaron’s other mall. He would send her flowers every day to remind


    her that he was waiting for her to open her heart to him.


    The engineers who had built the mall that copsed were arrested and had their licenses revoked.


    Aaron also got back half of the money he spent when buying the mall since the owner knew it was in a


    bad state but he still sold it at a high price.


    It had been two months since the ident. Aaron had left to get treated abroad and Tessa hadn’t seen


    him for three weeks.


    She was knocking off from work when she found him standing by his silver Bendey in an all- ck suit.


    Her heart did a backflip.


    They didmunicate via video call but she was still surprised to see him in the flesh. He looked better


    and more handsome than ever.


    Aaron smiled at her and raised his hand, saying, “Hi”


    Tessa’s eyes trailed to his legs. She noticed how they looked strong and healed. Her eyes turned


    ssy as she approached him.


    “Hi… I’m d you’re ok now. I didn’t expect to see you here. Is it ok to walk again?”


    “Don’t worry. I’m fine,” Aaron said and removed the hand he was hiding behind his back. He had


    bought Tessa a bouquet of orchids.


    “I wanted to surprise you. I went to see the kids first. Then I told them they would see youter tonight


    because I’m taking you out on a date.”


    Tessa arched an eyebrow as she received the flowers, asking, “Shouldn’t you ask me out first? When


    did I agree to go on a date with you?”


    Aaron took a step forward. He lowered his head to Tessa’s eye level and looked deeply into her eyes.


    In his deep, sexy baritone voice he said, “I’m done asking, Cupcake. I’m taking you out on a date


    tonight.”